The Butterfly That Saved Him-A GiyuShino Story

Chapter Thirteen:

     Giyuu walked in silence as Shinobu attempted to make conversation. After many failed attempts, he could sense her impatience. They were on the way to another mission, and he could tell she was bored. "Ne, Tomioka-san, what's your favorite insect?" Without waiting for him to reply, she said," I personally prefer butterflies. They're so graceful and elegant. Tomioka-san, you haven't replied yet." Well, because you didn't give me the chance, Giyuu thought.

    "I don't know. I've only ever liked one." Shinobu's eyebrows shot up and she cocked her head. He hadn't said a word in three hours. "Oh, and what's that?" "A mosquito species called Kochou Shinobu," Giyuu replied tonelessly. Shinobu turned into a blushing mess, which made Giyuu smile.

     "I'm not a mosquito!" she retorted after she'd recovered, crossing her arms. "If you say so." "Tomioka-san!" "Alright, alright. I was teasing you." "You can do that? Forgive me, I didn't think you were capable of it, being the Emperor of Introverts." Would he be the God of Introverts next?

     "Isn't the moon beautiful tonight?" she asked after a few minutes in silence, her gaze shifting to the full blood moon. "Yes," Giyuu said. "But not as beautiful as you." Shinobu shoved him lightly. "Stop turning everything I say into a romantic conversation, Tomioka-san!" "You're the one who said I wasn't romantic enou-" "I never said that!" 

     "Okay, then." "Stop agreeing with everything I say!" "Then what do you want me to do? Disagree?" "No!" "Then what?" Shinobu groaned loudly. "You're so annoying, Tomioka-san!" "Thank you," Giyuu said, utterly confused.

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     Fallen demons slowly disintegrated into the air as Giyuu stood up. The sun hadn't risen yet, and it was a few hours past midnight. They would stop by an inn before they headed to Butterfly Mansion so that Shinobu could work on her next poison. After they had checked in, Shinobu and Giyuu sat side by side, unable to sleep. Should he do it now? But....what if she refused? What if she thought it was too early?

    But then again....he couldn't wait any longer. Before he lost his guts, he stood up and said, "Kochou. I need to ask you a question." Shinobu cocked her head, confused. "Go ahead." Taking the small box out of his haori sleeve as his heart pounded loudly against his ribs, he knelt on one knee.

     "Kochou," he started. Shinobu looked shocked. "You may think it's too early, but I don't think I've ever been more sure of anything in my life. You've stayed by my side for so long....what I'm trying to ask is..." Calm down, Giyuu. Just ask her to be your wife. He took a deep breath, not looking at Shinobu with his gaze glued to the ground instead. "Will you...marry me, Shinobu?" The words came out softly, and his eyes met her amethyst orbs when he spoke her first name.

     His breath caught in his chest-would she decline? He'd done a terrible job speaking. He'd gone over it a million times in his head, but when the time came, the words evaporated. But that didn't matter, because Shinobu smiled, one of her genuine smiles, even though her eyes were welling. "I will." Giyuu's heart nearly burst with happiness.

    Had that really just happened? He felt like laughing and crying at the same time, so he decided to do neither and just smiled, standing up. Shinobu suddenly ran to him, threw her arms around his neck and buried her face in his haori. Her feet lifted off the ground, Giyuu wrapped his arms around her as she sniffled.

     Giyuu gently set her down and slipped the ring onto her finger. It held an ornate, bejeweled butterfly carved from amethyst. Leaning closer to her, he whispered,"Can I kiss you?" "No," Shinobu said. Before he had time to react, she grabbed his collar, pulled him down, and kissed him. "I wanted to kiss you this time," she said, smiling as she pulled away. Giyuu just shook his head, but he couldn't help reflecting her smile.

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     Shinobu groaned as she put her head into her arms, feeling the cold desk press against her skin. She was so tired. Her eyes had grown heavy and were drooping, but she couldn't go to bed now, at mid-afternoon. She hadn't slept at all in two days, guarding the poison carefully, adding seven drops of a tiger lily hybrid poison every half hour. It would be complete in another day, but she didn't know if she could stay awake any longer.

     It had been a few weeks since Giyuu and Shinobu's wedding, but there was still much work to be done. Giyuu was out on a mission at the moment. Aoi was busy with the coming and going demon slayers, Kanao had missions, Sumi, Naho, and Kiyo were up to mischief as usual, and Shinobu had no one to help her develop the poisons. Well, that wasn't surprising. She had only herself to blame if anything went wrong. She didn't need help anyway.

   But before she knew it, the edges of her vision were growing darker, and then everything went black.

     When Shinobu woke, she was dizzy and she felt feverish. She was shivering; it was so cold. She pulled the blanket closer around her. Wait, blanket? She shot up. She was in her bed. But....her poison? Shinobu threw off her covers and attempted to get up as the world spun around her, but a voice stopped her. "Don't, Shinobu." She looked up to see Giyuu.

     "Tomioka-san? What are you doing here?" "We had a mission tomorrow." Oh. "My poison," she said. "I haven't-" "I added drops of the tiny golden bottle on the desk. Is that the tiger lily hybrid?" "How did you-?"

     "There's a slip on your desk with instructions to yourself." "Oh." He walked up to her and placed a hand on her forehead, and she flinched a little at his cold touch. "You're burning up. You can't overwork yourself like that." Shinobu snorted. "You shouldn't be talking. Remember that time you-" She broke off, coughing so hard she almost choked. Giyuu handed her a glass of water, which she gratefully accepted. "You have a point," she admitted weakly.

     Giyuu sat next to her on the edge of his bed and pushed her shoulders back gently. "Rest," he told her softly, and then he left silently. She didn't have the strength to argue. She felt light-headed, and as soon as her head hit the pillow, she was asleep.

Thanks for reading! Please vote and comment on this story. This ship SHALL sail! Author-san out.